Region
Southeast Asia
Malaysia to Sign Free Trade Pact with UAE in June, Official Says
By Sebastian Strangio
The country is on track to becoming the fifth nation, and the third in Southeast Asia, to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with Abu Dhabi.
Indonesia’s Long and Winding Road to OECD Membership
By Sebastian Strangio
The 38-nation grouping has agreed to begin accession talks with Jakarta. Now comes the hard part.
Why Are Southeast Asia’s Young Voters Turning to Illiberal Populists?
By Imran Said and Alexander Berghaus
Recent elections have upended the assumption that young people are inherently more progressive than their elders.
Why the Indonesian Stock Market Is Booming
By James Guild
The country's expanding domestic capital markets have cushioned it against the declines seen elsewhere in the region.
Indonesia’s PDI-P Says That It Will Seek Election Investigation
By Sebastian Strangio
A senior party official says that the election, which was won decisively by Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, was tainted by “abuse of power."
Cambodia’s Buddhist Great Supreme Patriarch Dies, Aged 92
By Sebastian Strangio
Tep Vong, who helped revive Buddhism after the fall of the Khmer Rouge, had close and long-standing connections to the ruling Cambodian People's Party.
Cambodia’s Opposition Needs to Take a Sabbatical
By David Hutt
Opposition parties should take a page out of the ruling CPP's book and begin a process of generational renewal.
Why Vietnam’s Escalating Anti-Corruption Campaign Might Backfire
By Mai Truong
By drawing public attention to high-level graft, the "blazing furnace" campaign could inadvertently prompt more searching questions about the nature of communist rule.
Cambodia’s CPP Claims Lopsided Victory in Senate Elections
By Sebastian Strangio
The foreordained result is the latest development in the generational transition that peaked with last year's handover of power from Hun Sen to his son Hun Manet.
Indonesia and Australia Move Toward ‘Significant’ Security Agreement
By Andi Jatmiko and Niniek Karmini
The announcement followed talks between Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and his Indonesian counterpart Prabowo Subianto.
Malaysia, Indonesia Denounce Israeli Occupation During ICJ Proceedings
By Sebastian Strangio
The two nations' foreign ministers addressed the body during an advisory proceeding examining Israel's post-1967 occupation of Palestinian territories.
Thaksin and Move Forward: Downplaying Their Problems?
By Tita Sanglee
The controversial release of the former prime minister has presented the progressive MFP with a political opportunity.